McDonald’s vs Taco Bell | Where To Eat Next

Wondering where to get your next delicious treat? Is it McDonald’s or Taco Bell? So, today we are kicking off the faceoff between two famous fast food restaurants – McDonald’s and Taco Bell. We will compare each other on many factors such as food, price, taste, menu, and a lot more. So, let’s get ready for the McDonald’s vs Taco Bell battle. 

Let’s have a quick look at the comparison table of McDonald’s Vs Taco Bell:

In 1940, two brothers named Richard and Maurice McDonald started a small restaurant. Then, in 1955, Ray Kroc came along and made it big by opening more McDonald’s franchises. Since then, McDonald’s has grown into a big fast food giant, offering unique things like happy meals, McFlurries, and famous Big Mac burgers. 

Coming to Taco Bell history, Glen Bell opened a little stand selling tacos. People loved his tasty food, and he decided to make more places like it. He called it Taco Bell. They created unique tacos and other yummy things, and now Taco Bell is famous for its outstanding Mexican fast food.

Now, the battle begins! Please sit back and enjoy as we explore these two famous fast-food spots. You will learn fun facts about your favorite fast-food restaurant during this battle. So, let’s get started. 

Which Is More Popular | McDonald’s or Taco Bell

The battle starts now! We have two big fast-food giants ready to compete head-to-head – McDonald’s and Taco Bell. In this exciting showdown, they will be judged on various factors through several rounds of competition. Each game will have a winner. The ultimate goal is to see who comes out on top by winning the most matches.

McDonald’s boasts a massive global presence and is the most successful brand. On the other hand, Taco Bell is renowned for its unique offerings, such as tacos, cinnamon twists, and quesadillas, which have earned them a dedicated fan base.

Throughout this comparison, we will closely follow the battle between these two giants and analyze each factor to declare the winner in every round. It will be an exciting journey, so let’s dive into the comparisons and discover which fast-food giant emerges as a clear winner – McDonald’s or Taco Bell.

Which Has The Better Menu?

Around 145 menu items are on McDonald’s menu, whereas Taco Bell has about 70-80. With so many varieties from McDonald’s, we can say McDonald’s takes the lead here. But Taco Bell also boasts of its unique menu offerings for vegetarians and non-vegetarians. So, let’s see whose menu offerings are better.

McDonald’s menu offerings are extensive. Its primary offerings are burgers and fries. Apart from that, McDonald’s is also known for providing fantastic breakfast menu items. It offers hash browns, chicken nuggets, pancakes, McMuffin, burritos, oatmeal, and coffee. 

Regarding burgers and sandwiches, McDonald’s is best at offering various kinds of offerings and is known for some famous burgers such as Big Mac, quarter pounder with cheese, McDouble, etc.

Apart from that, McDonald’s has many kinds of drinks and dessert options too. Their famous frozen drinks, coffee, frappes, and hot chocolate are renowned. Apart from that, McDonald’s boasts on its dessert menu. They offer famous McFlurries, soft serves, milkshakes, smoothies, apple pie, and chocolate chip cookies. 

Taco Bell also has many breakfast menu items, including burritos, coffee, wraps, quesadillas, hash browns, iced tea, and cinnamon bombs. Moreover, Taco Bell also offers mostly tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, and bowls. Some famous Taco Bell offerings include chalupa supreme, crunch wrap, chicken quesadilla, soft tacos, and chalupa.

Regarding the drinks menu, Taco Bell is known for offering Pepsi and various flavored drinks like watermelon berry freeze, mango fiesta, lemonade strawberry, etc. Regarding dessert menu items, Taco Bell’s dessert options are fewer and mainly offer cinnamon bombs and a twist. 

So, overall, both fast-food chains have unique offerings and specialize in different menu items. McDonald’s specializes in burgers, sandwiches, and fries, whereas Taco Bell specializes in burritos, tacos, wraps, and nachos. 

However, other menu items like drinks, desserts, side menu items, and breakfast items are more on McDonald’s than on Taco Bell’s menu. 

Let’s see now who wins this round.  

Winner – McDonald’s wins this battle round because it offers a variety of menu items and has more offerings.

Which Is More Cheaper?

Explore an exciting question: Which is more affordable – Taco Bell or McDonald’s? Let’s closely look at the prices of some everyday menu items of these two restaurants and see who wins this round. 

When looking at Taco Bell’s menu prices, they are a bit lower than McDonald’s. For example, their main offerings of tacos start at $3 to $5, whereas McDonald’s burgers are priced between $5 to $10. 

Apart from that, McDonald’s side menu items are priced between $4 to $6. Taco Bell side menu items are priced between $2 to $4. 

Now, let’s compare some of the standard menu items of McDonald’s and Taco Bell in the below table:

Looking at the price table, we can see that most of the menu items on Taco Bell’s menu are cheaper. Moreover, both fast-food restaurants offer value menus, but Taco Bell’s value menu is priced between $1 to $3, whereas McDonald’s does not show any value menu under $1. 

I have a clear winner here. 

Winner – Taco Bell wins this segment because it provides more affordable meals.

Which Has Better Tasting Food?

Fast food means better-tasting food. When enjoying your favorite fast food, you always look for a better taste, ingredients, and overall texture. So, today, we will compare McDonald’s and Taco Bell based on the taste of their food. Let’s start the round. 

McDonald’s is famous for its burgers, fries, and chicken sandwiches. They have a stipulated menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They offer savory burgers, sweet treats, crispy chicken sandwiches, and delicious side items. Their top-notch burgers make McDonald’s the best fast-food chain in the world.

Conversely, Taco Bell focuses on healthy offerings with tacos, burritos, and quesadillas filled with fresh vegetables and meat. Their breakfast items also feature healthy choices, including bean fillings and Mexican spices, keeping their flavors mild and straightforward.

So, if I talk about better taste, McDonald’s takes the lead. Because their menu items include the perfect combination of cheese, beef patties, veggies, and sauces, it is the top choice for many. Even their dessert items like soft serves, hot fudge, and McFlurries are world famous. 

Taco Bell’s offerings are more about eating raw vegetables and meat with sauces and some cheese. Moreover, the chain only offers a few dessert offerings. They have only a few offerings on their menu. 

So, talking about the taste of McDonald’s will satisfy you more. 

Winner – McDonald’s wins this battle round. 

McDonald’s Burgers vs. Taco Bell’s Tacos

McDonald’s is famous for its mouthwatering and best burgers. The burgers include juicy beef patties, flavorful cheese, fresh veggies, and tasty sauces. With a wide range of burger options, some of their best burgers are McDouble, Big Macs, quarter pounder with cheese, cheeseburger, and bacon McDouble.

On the other hand, Taco Bell is known for its delectable tacos filled with various fillings, from seasoned meat to fresh vegetables, all wrapped in a warm tortilla. They offer unique combinations such as wraps, quesadillas, and burritos. Even their chalupas are quite popular menu items, too.

McDonald’s Burgers and Taco Bell’s Tacos have unique charms and loyal fans who enjoy their offerings.

So, are you ready to know who is the winner?

Winner – It’s a tie! Both McDonald’s and Taco Bell won this segment. 

Which Has A Better Breakfast Menu?

When starting your day right with a delicious breakfast, two fast-food chains, McDonald’s and Taco Bell, have enticing morning menus to offer. So, let’s compare their breakfast offerings and see which chain takes the crown for having the better breakfast menu. 

McDonald’s breakfast menu boasts a wide range of options, from hearty breakfast platters with eggs, sausage, and hash browns to delightful sweet treats like pancakes and muffins. These are some of the popular breakfast menu items available at McDonald’s.  

They also offer a variety of delectable side items, such as chicken nuggets and hash browns. Additionally, McDonald’s provides an extensive selection of coffee drinks (more than 15 drink choices).

Moreover, McDonald’s has stipulated breakfast hours, which start at around 5.30 a.m. and end at 10.30 a.m. So, if you are visiting during this time, you will get various breakfast items to enjoy. 

Let’s jump on to Taco Bell now. The fast food chain’s breakfast menu brings a unique twist to traditional breakfast items. It offers breakfast burritos, quesadillas, and tacos. While they get a creative spin to morning favorites, their options are limited compared to McDonald’s. 

For example, Taco Bell has fewer coffee drink options to pair with breakfast. Moreover, their breakfast menu items don’t include any burgers, scrambled eggs, or pancakes. Furthermore, Taco Bell also has fixed breakfast hours, which start at 7:00 a.m. and end at 11:00 a.m. 

Considering the variety, taste, and choices, McDonald’s breakfast menu. 

Winner – McDonald’s has a better breakfast menu. 

Which Has Better Drink Options?

Both McDonald’s and Taco Bell have tantalizing drink options. So, let’s look at the drink options offered by McDonald’s and Taco Bell and see who takes the lead forward. 

At McDonald’s, you will find impressive drink options. Their menu offers signature McCafe coffees like lattes, cappuccinos, and premium roast coffee, the best coffee drinks at McDonald’s. Their soft drinks menu is vast, offering various soft drinks, frozen drinks, milkshakes, smoothies, milk, etc.

Moreover, McDonald’s also has a variety of iced coffee drinks that many people love. Also, McDonald’s iced coffee drinks are best ranked. 

Talking about Taco Bell’s drinks menu, the fast food chain’s offerings are slightly more limited. They have flavored frozen drinks, soft drinks, coffee, and iced tea. Some of their best drinks are watermelon berry lemonade, blue raspberry freeze, G2 Gatorade, mango fiesta, iced tea, iced coffee, etc.

So, looking at two of these fast-food restaurants’ menus, we are clear that McDonald’s again takes the lead in the drinks menu battle, too.

Winner – Hence, the winner is McDonald’s because it offers a variety of choices when it comes to drinks to pair with your meal.  

Which Restaurant Has Better Desserts?

Indulging in your favorite dessert is always special. When it comes to sweet treats, you might wonder which restaurant I should visit first – McDonald’s or Taco Bell? Well, let’s find out who has better desserts. 

McDonald’s offers an array of heavenly desserts and sweet treats. Some of the best desserts on their menu are vanilla soft serve, hot fudge sundae, McFlurries, apple pie, chocolate cake cookies, cinnamon rolls, etc. 

When it comes to Taco Bell, the options are limited. Taco Bell’s menu features only two signature sweet treats – cinnabon delights and cinnamon twists. Apart from that, you will not find any ice cream treats. So, yes! That will disappoint customers who want to enjoy cold dessert treats.

Now let me announce the winner of this segment, which you already know.

Winner – McDonald’s wins this battle round as it offers better desserts. 

Which Is More Healthy?

Fast foods are mainly unhealthy because they are processed and high in calories and fat. So, when choosing between McDonald’s and Taco Bell based on healthy offerings, let’s see who is top. 

McDonald’s is all about cheesy burgers, fries, and high-fat foods. However, some of their menu items are low-calorie options such as apple slices, low-fat milk, premium roast coffee, decaf coffee, hash browns, oatmeal, scrambled eggs, etc.

However, McDonald’s burgers are high in calories and include artificial flavorings; even their Chicken sandwiches include MSG. 

Now, coming over to Taco Bell, the picture of healthy food is better here. 70% of their menu items are healthy and nutritious too. Their tacos are made with fresh veggies, beans, sauces, and cheese. Their burritos include veggies, rice, gravy, eggs, and meat. 

So, their menu offerings are also high in protein and carbohydrates. Their breakfast menu includes bacon burritos, steak quesadillas, and bacon crunch wrap. 

I have made a table below to check the nutritional value of standard menu items:

Looking at the standard menu items available at both fast-food chains, Taco Bell’s menu items contain fewer calories than McDonald’s. So, you can say that Taco Bell has fewer calories than McDonald’s. 

Many people think McDonald’s food is terrible. But when we look at McDonald’s overall menu, they have improved their menu offerings by adding fewer preservatives or food additives. So, if you are finding low-calorie food options at McDonald’s, you can easily find them. 

Winner – For this segment, Taco Bell won this battle because the chain offers more healthy options.  

Which Has A Better Kids Menu?

When dining out with the family, kids often look for something special on their fast-food menu. The kids’ menu makes them happy about enjoying their special meal with exclusive toys inside. Between McDonald’s and Taco Bell, McDonald’s offers a better kids menu.

Taco Bell doesn’t provide kids meals at the moment. This puts McDonald’s in the spotlight, boasting an impressive kids’ menu. The fast-food chain has been a pioneer in offering exciting kids menu such as: hamburgers, 4-piece chicken nuggets, and 6-piece chicken nuggets. 

The Happy Meal includes other options such as fries, apple slices, low-fat milk, and chicken nuggets. But what truly sets McDonald’s Happy Meal toys is the inclusion of exciting toys. These toys are the kid’s favorite characters from movies and TV shows. 

McDonald’s has brought iconic toy collaborations, partnering with Disney, Star Trek, Jurassic Park, Angry Birds, and Cactus Plant Flea Market. 

McDonald’s went beyond catering to kids by introducing an adult version of the Happy Meal. This offering allowed customers to choose between a Big Mac or a 10-piece chicken nugget meal, complete with fries, a drink, and a collectible toy character from popular franchises.  

On the other hand, Taco Bell doesn’t provide a kid’s meal menu. However, it offered kids meals in the past. In 1955, they started offering kids meals, including soft or hard tacos with a cinnamon twist and a drink. However, the chain decided to discontinue the kid’s dinner in 2013 due to declining sales and health awareness among parents about their kids.

This decision made Taco Bell the first major fast-food chain in the United States to remove kids’ meals from its menu.

So, in this showdown, McDonald’s is a true winner. 

Winner – McDonald’s has a better kids’ menu. Hence, it wins this battle round. 

Which Has A Better Secret Menu?

Regarding fast-food dining, something is interesting about the secret menu. These private menu items are hidden and not officially listed on the menu. Between McDonald’s and Taco Bell, McDonald’s has a better personal menu. It has more than 25 private menu items compared to Taco Bell’s. 

So, let’s check out each fast-food chain’s secret menu items.

McDonald’s Secret Menu Items

1. Big McChicken
2. Birthday Cake
3. The 2 Cheeseburger Meal
4. The Chicken McGriddle
5. Big Mac Sauce With Fries
6. The Land, Sea, And Air Burger
7. The MC 10:35
8. The McCrepe
9. The Mc Gang Bang
10. The McKinley Mac
11. The Monster Mac
12. The McLeprechaun Shake
13. Neapolitan Shake
14. The Pie McFlurry
15. Caramel Apple Sundae
16. Orange Creamsicle Shake
17. McBrunch Burger
18. Poor Man’s Big Mac
19. Big Mac N Cheese
20. Grilled Cheese
21. Chicken Cordon Bleu McMuffin
22. Cinnamon Melt A La Mode
23. Hash Brown McMuffin
24. Biscuits & Gravy
25. Root Beer Float

Taco Bell Secret Menu Items

1. The Cheesarito
2. The Enchirito
3. Meximelt
4. The Hulk
5. The Incredible Hulk
6. The Superman
7. Chili Cheese Burrito
8. Doritos Shell Anything
9. Lava Sauce Anything
10. Fresco Style
11. Fiesta Potatoes BellGrande
12. Quesarito
13. Tie-Dye Freeze
14. Double Grilled Quesadilla
15. Nacho BellGrande Dip
16. Cloudy Skies Baja Blast
17. DIY 7-Layer Burrito
18. Smothered Burrito
19. Volcano Tacos
20. BLT Tacos
21. Verde Sauce

As you can see, McDonald’s offers more secret menu options. Moreover, it provides hidden menu items like burgers, milkshakes, drinks, and side menu items. At the same time, Taco Bell’s secret menu is limited to tacos, sauces, and burritos.

Winner – McDonald’s wins this segment as it has a better secret menu. 

Which Has Better Deals?

Getting a good deal at your favorite fast-food restaurant is always excellent. Both have the best deals when comparing McDonald’s and Taco Bell’s deals. 

Let’s look at what these two fast food chains have to offer under the deal section. Starting with McDonald’s, currently, it’s offering various deals. Some of the best deals are 2 for $4, 2 for $5, and 2 for $6. Moreover, it also offers free fries on Friday and many more.  

Apart from that, McDonald’s also offers breakfast deals. They offer 2 for $4 mix-and-match sales and $0.99 for any premium roast or iced coffee size.

Moreover, McDonald’s also offers the most popular dollar menu. It includes three price tiers: $1, $2, and $3. There are various items lined up in these particular dollar prices. 

Moving on to Taco Bell Deals, the chain is equally putting efforts into providing the best deals. The chain is known for its value menu, which includes items like craving box, cinnamon twist, classic combo fiesta veggie burrito, and much more under $5. 

Apart from that, Taco Bell also offers group offers such as meal for 2, dinner for 4, tacos and Burrito craving packs, taco party packs, drinks party packs, and many other kinds of group offers between $12 to $25. 

On top of that, the fast food chain also offers a reward program for its app users. You can earn points when you order online, in the app, at the kiosk, or scan in-store receipts. With every 250 points you make, you can unlock a new reward and access to exclusives. 

In conclusion, we saw that both the fast food chains offer attractive deals and offers on their menu. 

Winner – Hence, it’s a tie! Both McDonald’s and Taco Bell win this battle round. 

Which Has A Modern Look?

When it comes to having a modern look and exciting promotions all around the world, McDonald’s and Taco Bell both win this segment. We go out to eat at our favorite restaurant; how it looks can make a big difference. It’s all about the relaxed atmosphere and modern style. Let’s compare two popular restaurants: McDonald’s and Taco Bell. 

McDonald’s stores are all about a modern look and unique interior. It has a sleek and aesthetic look. It features bright colors like brown, red, and yellow. Moreover, some restaurants have leather-touch sofas and chairs, making the seating quite comfortable. 

While Taco Bell’s stores also feature a modern look, it lacks cozy sitting options. It has wooden chairs and tables to sit on. The atmosphere is friendly, but it’s less comfortable to sit in compared to McDonald’s sitting options. 

Looking at brand promotions and marketing campaigns, McDonald’s plays it cool. They do fun stuff like McDonald’s Monopoly game. It’s a promotional game that allows customers to win prizes by collecting tokens. The tokens are randomly distributed with McDonald’s food purchases, and customers can also enter codes online to win prizes. 

Apart from that, McDonald’s also does seasonal promotions like their famous Halloween buckets. These buckets are collectible buckets that are given out with happy meals in the weeks leading up to Halloween. These promotions don’t just make McDonald’s look modern, but they also make people happy all around the world. 

Coming back to Taco Bell, it’s pretty modern, too. They never feel shy when it comes to doing crazy stuff in advertising. The fast food brand opened a pop hotel in Palm Strings, hosted a brunch, and ran a global campaign. 

Apart from that, Taco Bell has an online store where it sells t-shirts, hoodies, baseball hats, pajamas, and even string bikinis printed with the Taco Bell logo. Moreover, Taco Bell has savvy social media accounts that won the internet with their funny social media.    

Taco Bell sent Chrissy Teigen a handwritten note asking her to be their brand ambassador. The message was funny and creative, and it quickly went viral. Apart from that, Taco Bell also sent custom rings to people on Instagram. The custom rings were sent to those who commented on their Instagram posts. The calls were shaped like tacos and were a hit with fans.

As you can see, McDonald’s and Taco Bell offer a nice modern look.

Winner – So, the winner for this segment is McDonald’s and Taco Bell.       

Which Is More Successful?

In the fast food industry, McDonald’s is a more successful brand because it has more stores opened than Taco Bell. Moreover, the fast food brand also generates more revenue than all other fast food chains. 

McDonald’s is a super successful and famous brand. They have more than 39,000 restaurants in over 100 countries around the world. On the other hand, Taco Bell has around 8218 restaurants in more than 32 countries. 

When it comes to revenue, McDonald’s makes a lot more than Taco Bell. McDonald’s earned about 23.18 billion dollars in revenue, while Taco Bell’s income is $2 billion.

Seeing the numbers, it’s clear that McDonald’s is the most successful brand. 

Winner – McDonald’s won this segment as its most successful and famous brand.  

Who Wins This Battle – McDonald’s or Taco Bell?

The battle ends here. McDonald’s and Taco Bell are two famous places to eat fast food. After looking closely, it’s clear that McDonald’s won this contest. But let’s find out why and also see what makes Taco Bell unique. 

McDonald’s came out on the top because of a few critical reasons. First, they have so many restaurants all over the world. Also, they have an extensive menu with many different food offerings. They have burgers, breakfast items, and even desserts. This makes a lot of people like McDonald’s because there’s something for everyone. 

Even though McDonald’s wins, Taco Bell is still excellent. They have special, unique menu offerings, specifically Mexican cuisine. People who love to enjoy tacos and quesadillas will enjoy Taco Bell. If you want to have something healthy and full of veggies, Taco Bell is the place that will pop into your mind first.

In the end, McDonald’s takes the crown and wins this faceoff. Now that you know the winner, check out similar blogs like Jack In The Box vs. McDonald’s, Subway vs McDonald’s, McDonald’s vs. Five Guys, and McDonald’s vs. Carl’s Jr. You can check these out and enjoy the next fast-food battle.

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